Number of rare meningitis cases grows

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- An outbreak of a rare and deadly form of meningitis has sickened 26 people in five states who received steroid injections, health officials said yesterday. Four people have died.

Eighteen cases are in Tennessee, where a Nashville clinic received the largest shipment of the steroid suspected in the outbreak. A specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts that made it issued a recall and suspended operations.

Three cases were reported in Virginia, two in Maryland, two in Florida and one in North Carolina. Two deaths were in Tennessee; Virginia and Maryland had one each, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

More new cases are almost certain to appear in the coming days, said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner. Cases in that state began in July and five new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours, he said.

Investigators have been looking into at least three different products used for the back injections that could have been tainted by the fungus that appears to be behind the illnesses. -- AP